André Gedalge

French composer and teacher (1856–1926)

André Gedalge (27 December 1856 – 5 February 1926) was a French composer and teacher.

André Gedalge was born at 75 rue des Saints Pères in Paris where he first worked as a bookseller and editor, specialising in livres de prix for public schools. During this time his father and him published books by Marie Laubot and Edmond About for the Librairie Gedalge. In 1886, at the age of 28, he entered the Conservatoire de Paris. In that same year he won the Second Prix de Rome. He studied under Ernest Guiraud, professor of counterpoint and fugue, who had also been Jules Massenet's teacher. In 1891, Gedalge composed the score for Le Petit Savoyard, a pantomime in four acts performed at the Théâtre des Nouveautés. In 1895, Pris au Piège was awarded the Prix Cressant. In June 1900, his one act ballet Phoebé debuted at the Opéra Comique. He composed Quatuor d'archet, Les Vaux de Vire (a collection of mélodies), children's songs, and three symphonies. These illustrated the proud motto that he followed: "Neither literature, nor painting", which defined "pure music". His Third Symphony in F Major and his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (written in 1899) were considered masterpieces of French music. In the years before World War I, Gedalge served as mayor of Chessy, Seine et Marne, where he later died and was buried.

He influenced many students of music Both Ravel and Enesco, who studied under Gedalge, dedicated compositions to him, Ravel dedicating his piano trio and Enescu his octet for strings. Other pupils who dedicated works included Charles Koechlin, who dedicated his 7 Rondels, Op.8, and Eugène Cools, who dedicated his Violin Sonata, Op.79. He also wrote instructional works for students: Traité de la fugue ("Treatise of the Fugue", 1904) and L'Enseignement de la Musique par l'éducation de l'oreille ("The Instruction of Music by the Education of the Ear", 1922). He was relatively modest and, as such, did not garner a large reputation as an individual musician, but he greatly benefited from the wide recognition of his students. On the day after his death, it was written:

He gave to his students the best part of himself: the knowledge, the understanding of man and the supreme gift that is goodness. It was sufficient that he had been poor and worthy of the name of musician for that he counselled, taught, and gave affectionate welcome not only to his class, but in the intimacy of his dwelling. (See below for original quote.) (Il donnait à ses élèves le meilleur de lui même: le savoir, la connaissance des hommes et ce don suprême qu'est la bonté. Il suffisait qu'un être fût pauvre et digne du nom de musicien pour qu'il trouvât conseils, leçons et affectueux accueil non seulement à sa classe, mais dans l'intimité de son logis.)